In constructing a large structure, e.g., a large truss, from many structure members such as long steel pipes, each structure member is typically joined to nodes in order to assemble, for example, a truss structure. The typical structure member is joined to polyhedral nodes by bolting at both ends thereof. In Japanese Utility Model Publication of No. 42-22992, a joint device is proposed to form a truss structure. This device is explained as follows: a nut is provided with a hole along a radius thereof and a pin, which is attached to a bolt engaged with the nut, is put into the hole, the bolt is rotated through the pin by rotating the nut. Consequently, the maximum torque that can be applied depends on the strength of the pin and, therefore, it is difficult to tighted the bolt fully when the structure member is joined to the nodes. Moreover, it is impossible to torque fully on the bolt because of holes or hollows that are formed in some structural elements of the joint device. Also, the bolt, which is important in terms of durability, is exposed in part to the atmosphere, hence excess strength and quality of the bolt will be required to ensure durability against atmospheric corrosion.
In Japanese Patent Publication No. 56-29064, a device is disclosed which requires rotation of a bolt through a sleeve covering the bolt. When such a structure member composed of a long structure pipe and edge covers is manufactured, each bolt is fixed to the edge covers welded at the ends of structure pipe. Modifying the length of structure member, determined somewhat by its warp in welding, is impossible and hence the length thereof may be undesirable. If there is failure to absorb such size errors in assembling the truss structure, some of the structure members will not be usable. If a size-adjuster is included in a joint device, the mechanism of the joint device will be very complicated. Furthermore, the opening at the end of the typical structure member is limited with regard to the structural elements of the joint device being small. Therefore, it would be difficult to galvanize homogeneously all surfaces inside and outside of the long structure members and they may corrode.
An object of this invention is to propose a device for joining of structure members in assembling a truss structure by using structure members and nodes.
Another object is to provide a joint structure member to a node tightly, to realize a structure in which bolts do not corrode, to provide an adjustment in order to size a desirable exact length of a structure member, and to provide firm and simple structural elements without holes and hollows.